The morning light caked over Ponyville as the sun slowly rose in the east. Cool air hovered about as Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were followed by two aggressive mares. Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked at each other with sneers, trying to guess what the other was thinking.
“Again,” Applebloom whispered, “nice job for not keeping your voice down last night...”
“Will you stop guilt tripping me?” Sweetie Belle wined. “I had a hard time sleeping because of my mistake already...”
“Honestly, this would have happened eventually,” Scootaloo remarked. “Besides, with us three there, we could try to protect Thunderlane.”
“An' what could we possibly do?” The cowpony huffed, wondering if Rarity and Rainbow Dash would do any, or worse, all of the things they said they wanted to do to Thunderlane. Applebloom looked back, to see the older mares talking among themselves. Both wore their respective element of harmony, ready to use them for harm instead of good.
“How much further must we walk girls?” Rarity asked, waving a hoof at her face. “The sun is starting to heat my back up, and I am wishing I had brought my parasol.”
“We are almost there...” Scootaloo answered, not glad she was correct. The five rounded a corner before approaching a house that had a few potted plants on the porch. A colt marched about, watering the flora that grew in a nice flowerbed.
When Rumble noticed them approaching, he waved at the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Hello,” he smiled before sprinkling some tulips with the watering bucket in his mouth.
“Hey Rumble,” Scootaloo replied, her friends doing the same. She and the other crusaders couldn't help but look nervous. “You umm... ready to do some crusading?”
Placing the water-filled can down, the colt shook his head with a grunt. “Thunderlane is having me do a bunch of chores while he is out and about. The jerk!” Rumble kicked at the dirt a little. A chunk of wet earth flung toward the five, crumpling as it collided with the ground.
“Sounds to me like your brother likes to not care about other ponies' feelings,” Rainbow Dash huffed, further fueling her distaste toward Thunderlane.
“You got that right,” the colt rolled his eyes in agreement.
“Speaking of your brother,” Rarity asked, batting her eyes beautifully, “where might he be?” Rumble creased his brows, wondering what the older mare was trying to do.
“He...” In his peripheral, he noticed the Cutie Mark Crusaders shake their heads, not wanting him to speak. Despite their efforts, he resumed, “...went to Fluttershy's for some reason. Then he is going to breakfast with Blossomforth. All to leave me alone with these chores...”
Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked at each other with fire in their eyes. “I think I know why Thunderlane turned down Fluttershy...” the cyan mare spoke coldly.
“Yes. He seems to have another mare in mind.” Rarity touched Rainbow Dash's shoulder and grinned. “Let us go change his mind.”
Rumble looked at the five before him in confusion, unable to hear the older ponies conversation. However, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Applebloom heard their words of spite and glanced at each other with worry.
“Say girls...” Rarity looked at the fillies with a plastic smile. “Why don't you three help Rumble with his chores? Who knows what amazing cutie marks you might get. Maybe get something that may resemble gardening.”
“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash agreed with her wings fanned out, almost ready to take off.
“Trust me,” Rumble muttered, “I have been doing these chores for years and have gotten no luck with a cutie mark.” He held up a hoof, gesturing to the flowers. “Trust me, these flowers are only here to give me unnecessary work.”
“But if you are constantly working hard all the time,” Rarity reassured, “you might get a cutie mark that shows you can do hard work.” Looking to the three girls, she asked, “Don't you three agree?” The words of the white unicorn was even convincing the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They did want their cutie marks, whatever it may be. And the girls have never thought about getting a cutie mark in hard labor.
“When you put it that way...” Rumble hummed in thought, liking Rarity's words. Looking to the three fillies, he asked with a smile, “Let's get these chores done, yeah?” The words that came out of the colt's mouth sounded weird. Never in his life did he think he would want to do any amount of chores in hopes he would get his cutie mark during chores.
“I guess...” Applebloom answered, worried for the fate of Thunderlane. Her friend's faces gave off the same amount of concern.
“Then we leave you to your crusading girls.” The white unicorn looked to Rainbow Dash, ready to confront the heart breaker. “Let's go...” Without saying any words, the two broke into a run, almost crashing into another pony.
“Now let's get to work,” Rumble spoke with enthusiasm. “I wonder what a hard-working cutie mark looks like.” But the Cutie Mark Crusaders stood in place, unwilling to ignore the situation at hoof. The only action they could do was glance at one another with guilt. “What's up?” the colt wondered, looking at the three girls.
Unable to contain herself, Applebloom blurted out, “Rumble, your brother is in danger!”
***
The morning air was nice and refreshing as Thunderlane flew through the air toward Fluttershy's cottage. He knew he had to get to Hoofy's Cafe in thirty minutes to meet up with Blossomforth. However, Thunderlane knew he had to speak with Fluttershy and her confession from the other day. The image of her crying plagued the stallion's mind all night. He knew he hurt her and need to be sure she was alright. But something told Thunderlane that he would not be welcomed at her cottage, as if to say danger was waiting for him.
Shaking his head, the pegasus had made up his mind. Thunderlane needed clarity with Fluttershy, telling her his reason for turning her down. However, we was not looking forward to explaining that to her. In fact, he hated himself because of his reason.
Touching down, Thunderlane's hooves clopped as they came in contact with the stone brick bridge. He stared at the innocent estate. Birds flew around, chirping as they glided above the trees. Small woodland rodents skittered and dashed about the ground, almost too quick for the stallion's eyes. And the cottage rested as if it too was asleep, and Thunderlane didn't want to disturb who the building; and whatever might live in it as well.
However, Thunderlane had no choice, but to awaken the structure. He needed clarity between himself and Fluttershy. She needed to hear his reasoning for turning her down. As he walked to the door, Thunderlane hated himself even more for choosing the morning to talk to Fluttershy. Nopony would want to begin their day with negative news. But if the stallion was to relieve himself of his guilty conscious, Thunderlane trudged on.
Raising a hoof to knock, the stallion sealed his fate. He swung his arm at the wooden seal.
Knock...
A blur of alarms suddenly screamed. Every animal within the cottage's vicinity darted away, afraid of the sound. Thunderlane lept into the air, not expecting the various alerts that went off. Not sure what to make of the situation at hoof, the stallion took a few steps back, thinking it would be best to come back another time. But he bumped into someone, stopping his leave.
A serpent body shadowed over Thunderlane as Discord sneered down at the black pegasus. Reaching into his fur, the draconequus pulled out a key with various buttons and pressed it. A car chirp went off, signaling the alarms to cease their function. “I am so glad that I installed an anti-heart breaker alert system last night.”
“H-hey,” Thunderlane stuttered, intimidated by the Lord of Chaos, and rightfully so. The pony knows of Discord's abilities, along with his close relationship with Fluttershy. “Is umm... Fluttershy home? I need to talk to her.”
“Wouldn't you like to know.” Discord flicked the key at Thunderlane, displeased with his presence. With a snap of his finger, a white shirt with Thunderlane's face appeared on the draconequus’ torso. A red circle with an “x” was planted on the stallion's picture. “Because of your charade, dear Fluttershy has been practically bedridden with heartache.” Thunderlane could picture the depressed mare lying in bed, unable to stop her sobbing. His heart gripped with pain, knowing he was responsible for Fluttershy's grief. A sharp claw pointed at the pegasus, along with an angry stare. However, Discord smiled. “And because of your atrocious action, I am now in charge of the Anti-Thunderlane fan club.”
Clasping his paw and claw together, a table of Anti-Thunderlane objects appeared. Discord was now behind the table, wearing a blue and white striped shirt and hat. “If you act now,” he whispered, “you can get the Anti-Thunderlane t-shirt, mug, and poster for only ten bits when you join.”
Looking at the product that he had now created, everything had a silly Thunderlane face with the same circle and x across it. The entire scenario he was in did nothing to help him feel better. “Discord, please,” Thunderlane begged, his ears bent back with sadness, “I need to talk to Fluttershy. I need to tell her why I turned her down.”
“You don't need to tell her anything!” Rainbow Dash's voice echoed from the sky. In a blur of color, the pegasus was in Thunderlane's face. “You have a lot of nerve showing your face around here...”
“Rainbow Dash...!” Rarity dragged herself across the bridge, breathing heavily. “Must you... huff... be so... fast...?” But the moment her eyes fell upon the heart breaker, any amount of exhaustion left the unicorn and gained the ability to dash like her friend. Pushing Rainbow Dash out of her way, Rarity began swearing, “You uncivil, repulsive, hurtful, and ungrateful troglodyte!” At this point, Thunderlane was beginning to regret his trek to Fluttershy's home. He should have expected angry friends to have confronted him at this point, for this was not the first time it has happened. His back pressed hard against the cottage as Rarity stomped after him.
“What do you have there Discord?” Rainbow Dash asked, pointing to the merchandise.
“This is Anti-Thunderlane club product for all of your support against that hurtful stallion!” Discord pointed his paw at Thunderlane, not sure where to keep his attention. Everyone who was before him was not pleased with his actions. And each one could do numerous harmful things to him, whatever that may be.
But the word “product” caught Rarity's ear and she turned to see Discord's wears. As she browsed his merchandise, the unicorn frowned with disappointment. “Discord dear, if you are to sell shirts with Thunderlane's disgusting expression, have the shirts look a lot less... plain.” The clothing was a simple white shirt and that was the obvious sign of Rarity's disapproval. But that didn't stop Rainbow Dash from applying the shirt to herself.
“I think if you are to call this fan club anything interesting,” Rainbow Dash spoke, flying in the air, adjusting her t-shirt, ”I would change it to Thunderlame!”
“I actually think that is an excellent choice for a name change,” Discord agreed.
“What can I say? I do have some pretty awesome ideas.” Rainbow Dash folded her arms with a smirk quickly following.
Looking back to the door, expecting to see Thunderlane, Rarity asked, “Speaking of that ruffian, where is he?”
In the sky, the dark-gray stallion darted through the sky, adrenaline coursing through his blood. He needed to escape before anything worse could happen. But a heavy weight suddenly pulled Thunderlane to earth. With a heavy thud, Thunderlane's flank hit the ground hard. Looking to see what prevented his escape, he noticed a ball-in-chain strapped to his ankle.
Once again, Discord's shadow loomed over the stallion. “Just where do you think you are going?” With adrenaline in control of his instincts, Thunderlane made another attempt to fly away. But the ball-in-chain was too heavy, leaving the stallion to collapse from exhaustion.
Discord lifted the chain with his paw. Thunderlane dangled like a chandelier, helpless in his predicament. “Do know what it is like to have your world upside-down?” A wide grin grew on the draconequus. “Because I put the definition into literal terms...”